Preview: Oregon at Oregon State

January 05, 2013|Reuters

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Preview: Oregon at Oregon State

The most contested rivalry in college basketball unfolds again Sunday night when Oregon State hosts Oregon in the Pac-12 opener for both teams. The Beavers own a 184-153 advantage in the series, the second-most wins against a single team in NCAA history. If they hope to add one more, the Beavers will likely need another big game from post players Eric Moreland and Joe Burton. Moreland, a 6-10 senior, is averaging 15.2 points and 12.5 rebounds in the last four games. Burton, a 6-7, 295-pound senior, is averaging 15.3 points in the last three. Oregon's four leading scorers average between 10.1 and 11.1 points. Tony Woods has been playing especially well lately, scoring in double figures in the last five games. The 6-11 senior center averages just 3.7 rebounds, however. He'll get help from Arsalan Kazemi, a 6-7 senior who leads conference in steals (2.8) and is third in rebounds (10).

TV: 10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Net.

ABOUT OREGON (11-2): E.J. Singler was expected to carry a majority of the offensive load this season. The second-team All-Pac 12 selection last season was Oregon's second-leading scorer last season (13.6) and top returner. But the 6-6 senior wing has seen his shooting percentage plummet from 46.2 percent during his first three seasons at Oregon to 38.1 percent this season. He's averaging 9.8 points, which ranks fifth on the team. Even his free-throw shooting has dropped from 90.9 percent last season to 76.3.

ABOUT OREGON STATE (10-3): The Beavers haven't played in six days and eight have passed since their surprising overtime loss to Towson on their home floor. Oregon State's one-sided win Monday against Texas-Pan American helped erase some of that sting and maybe got Ahmad Starks untracked. Starks, a 5-9 junior guard, had averaged 4.8 points in the previous five games after averaging 16.4 in the first seven. With a big dropoff in scoring potential after their top five players, the Beavers can't afford any prolonged slumps.

TIP-INS

1. Oregon State leads the Pac-12 in three-point shooting percentage (.405) and is second in scoring (77.9), rebounding (40.5) and blocked shots (5.3).

2. Roberto Nelson leads the Beavers in scoring at 15.8, followed by Devon Collier at 14.8. After Moreland, Burton and Starks, no other player averages more than 3.4 points for Oregon State.

3. Damyean Dotson is the leading scorer for Oregon at 11.1. Carlos Emory has averaged 13.7 points in the last three games.